


Blood of the Covenant

by Saltshaker527



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Chara is gay, Childhood Trauma, Multilingual Character, Parent Sans (Undertale), Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Sans doesn’t hate chara, Weavetale
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:55:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25974796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saltshaker527/pseuds/Saltshaker527
Summary: Chariana Comic. Abused, beaten, mentally broken, but thriving under the care of Sans Comic and his twin brother Puns, coexisting Heads of Ravenclaw House and Slytherin House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When her loyalty to her family is tested she begins to question herself, but learns quickly that the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb
Kudos: 7





	1. Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara experiences getting her Hogwarts letter

"Chara, calm down, Chasity will arrive with the mail soon" Mom laughed as I pressed my face against the window. 

"Easy for you to say, you're convinced I got in" I pouted. "What if my letter never comes?" 

Mom sighed and set down his phone to look at me. "Chara. You have been working hard on your English for six months now and you've improved a lot. You're my daughter whether it's by blood or not. You will get into Hogwarts. I promise you". 

Sans and Puns Comic. My family. I had been on the streets until I was found and legally adopted by Sans, who I called Mom because the idea of having a dad made me want to throw up. I had grown up in France and Ireland with my abusive parents until I killed them and ran. 

Mom and Puns had worked with me through my trauma as well as my illiteracy with English. I had been living with them for the last year, and they had taken the year off work to help me get settled. 

Now I'm 11 years old. Still not fluent in English but much happier. My mom and uncle believed I was a muggleborn, meaning that my birth parents didn't have magical abilities but I did. They both wanted to go back to work and were hoping that I could come with them and learn magic. 

My mom and uncle worked side by side as the heads of their respective houses. Mom was the Potions teacher and Ravenclaw head, and Puns was the Astronomy Teacher and Slytherin head. 

Chasity, our sooty owl, screeched as she came to the window, snapping me out of my thoughts. Mom joined me at the window and unlatched it, letting in our restless owl. I bounced on my heels as he sorted through the letters, setting aside letters and smirking as he came to one. I stretched and looked over his shoulder at the iconic Hogwarts wax seal, only to have it playfully snatched away from me. 

"Open it, open it, open it!" I begged. 

Mom smiled softly. "Do you want to read it or do you want me to? Remember it's probably from Professor Toriel and she has really spidery cursive writing" 

I hesitated. I didn't think my English skills for good enough for cursive. "You read". Despite my slight disappointment at not being able to read my own letter I was still bouncing. 

Puns came through the kitchen doorway, dangling a mouse between his fingers. He tossed it to Chasity, who gladly caught it in her beak and flew to her perch to eat. "Alright" Puns said. "Let's see this letter" 

Mom peeled up the wax and opened the ornate envelope. His eyes scanned across the parchment. 

"What's it say?!" I asked, bouncing faster. Mom's grin widened.

"Dear Ms. Comic.  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,  
Toriel Dreemurr.  
Deputy Headmistress"

My jaw fell open, causing my mother and uncle to burst out laughing. 

"I GOT IN!" I yelled. "I ACTUALLY GOT IN!" 

"Told ya, Moonchild". 

I enjoyed the feeling of warmth and comfort that washed over me from that nickname. Puns had taken to calling me Moonchild because before I felt comfortable sleeping in their house I would sit on the window seat and stare out the window at the moon every night. 

"You know what this means right? You have to take me to Diagon Alley! And Ollivanders and Flourish and Blotts and-" 

"Calm down kiddo!" Mom laughed. "It's not even August yet. We have a month. First we have to owl them back confirming your attendance." 

Puns however was doing the opposite. He went to the fridge and came back with a butterbeer, which he handed to me with a grin. "Down it kid. You earned it". 

I laughed at the fact that he treated butterbeer like actual beer, but I still accepted the mug and drank. 

"You're a witch now, kiddo!" Mom said, finally feeding into my excitement. 

"I know! It's amazing!" 

"I know you're excited but we gotta make sure you understand some things okay?" He said, motioning to the couch. I sat down and he sat across from me. 

"Kiddo we love you with all our souls but you do know we can't give you special treatment in our classes just because you're my kid right?" 

I nodded. "I wasn't expecting it. I want to learn and be a good student." 

Mom smiled. "That's my girl. Now that being said, being the kid of a staff member is going to earn you some things. For example in the event that you cause any trouble, your Head of House will have to consult with me on your discipline. They can give you detention and bad grades but anything more than that they go through me. If you end up in Ravenclaw then we cut out the middle man because you'll answer to me anyway. " 

I blinked. I hadn't even thought about the fact that my guardians were both House heads. 

"Also, the three of us will be talking to the Headmaster on probably your first day to learn a set of translation spells. We know you're a lot better at English but kid, you're real stubborn. I know you won't ask for help if you don't know a word" he shot me a look. I glanced away sheepishly. I had, on many occasions, left out a word because I didn't know it instead of asking for help. "So if you find that you really can't get a word then these spells will let you translate the word or the phrase or hell the whole page, into a language that you can read." 

I nodded, secretly grateful that there wasn't as much pressure on me. 

"The third thing is about your quarters. Whatever house you're in, you'll have access to their common room as well as your dorm. But if you ever need us, we have a shared chamber as well as our offices. If you don't have class then you can always use our spaces to study or have some quiet. And when you're having a bad day..." he trailed off. I knew what 'bad day' meant. "You can sleep on the couch in our chambers. Okay?" 

I nodded eagerly. "Hell yeah!" 

Puns snickered. "Oh yeah. I know we don't care if you cuss because we do it too, but most of your teachers ain't gonna let that fly. Try to reign it is when you're in class" 

I rolled my eyes. Cussing was 85% of my vocabulary. 

"Yeah it sucks ass" Puns said with a smirk. I hit him with the couch pillow. 

"Alright. Now who wants to go to lunch?"


	2. Astonishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara experiences Diagon Alley

July 18, we went to Diagon Alley. Chasity had taken my owl and my attendance was confirmed. 

"Welcome to Diagon Alley kid" Mom said as I drank in the sights. 

Shops buzzing with light. Students old and young buying books and robes. Things flying and moving of their own accord. And Gringots Bank in the distance. Looming. 

I knew we wouldn't be going in there. Mom and Puns carried plenty of money to buy my things. But just seeing the iconic building. Wow. 

"Alright. Boring stuff first. Robes and books. And clothes for underneath the robes. Pants right? Not skirt?" 

I nodded. Skirts and me did not match. 

"I'll get your uniform and robes. I know your sizes" Puns volunteered. "Sans, take her to get her books and meet at the potions shop?" 

"Yep. Come on kiddo. Flourish and Blotts is this way".

As Puns ducked into the robe shop, Mom lead me to the book shop on the corner. My mouth dropped open as soon as I walked in. 

Textbooks of all kinds lined the shelves, sorted by subject. Fiction books took up a few shelves. Books opened and turned pages by themselves and the pictures on the cover moved. I grinned despite having seen it a thousand times in the library at home. I love magic.

"I'll find your textbooks" Mom said. "I want you to find 2 or 3 books you want to read on your own. Novels or something". 

I begrudgingly nodded. 

I shuffled up and down the aisles and trailed my hand along the shelves. I could only read a word or two of some of the titles and some I couldn't read at all. I sighed. How did mom expect me to pick books that looked interesting when I couldn't tell what was interesting to me? I grabbed a random book about faeries and continued my hunt. 

I didn't find anything else until I saw a journal display on the end of an aisle. I eagerly began searching through them. 

Some had infinite pages. Some came with enchanted quills that would write down your thoughts for you. But one in particular caught my eye. 

It was medium sized, black, but it had a monochromatic shift to green. Despite my mother being the head of Ravenclaw, I was partial to green. It was the colour of the trees and grasses. It felt like home. But most importantly about this journal was the huge silver lock on it. The key could be enchanted to stay in your pocket or simply worn on a chain around your neck. I grabbed the journal without a second thought. If mom objected to me picking a journal instead of a novel I could say it was to practice my English. 

I located mom at the front till, where he carried a stack of books. I joined him in the line just as he got to the front. He payed for my books and we left the store, with a box of books packed up for us. 

Puns was waiting for us outside with a trolley of clothes and scrolls and ink and quills. 

"Got your basic supplies. There's a pair of shoes and some socks. And the dragonhide gloves." He pulled out the list of supplies as mom added the books to the trolley. "Potions shit, wand, and pet if you want it" Puns read off. Mom looked around the street. 

"I'll get her 'potions shit' as you call it" Mom said, jokingly flicking Puns in the head. "Take her to Olivanders. I'll meet you there." 

Puns pushed the cart down to Olivanders, the giant wand shop at the end of the street. He fished a coin pouch out of his pocket and handed it to me. 

"That should cover the cost no matter what it is. Head on in. Sans and I will wait out here" 

"Aren't you coming in with me?" I asked as I pocketed the coin pouch. 

"Nope" Puns grinned. "You go in alone to get your wand. Comic family tradition, Moonchild" 

I shrugged and walked into the wand shop. 

"Hello?" I called. "Hello? Anyone here?" 

An old man with shaggy gray hair popped up from behind the counter. "Sorry dear! I did not see you come in!" He skirted around the counter and stood to his full height. I had to tilt my head back to look him in the eye. Stupid shortness. 

“Miss Comic! Delightful to meet you child! I imagine you’re here for your first wand eh?” 

I blinked in shock. “Uh yeah but how did you know I’m a Comic? I’m adopted” 

“Word gets around fast when your parent is the potions master eh?” He said, winking at me. “Now now, stand up tall let me look at you.” Confused, I dropped my arms to my sides and stood up straight. “Short girl eh? I know just the thing”. 

The eccentric man retreated into the back. He came back out with a long box, which he opened to reveal a long wand. 

“Haze wood and unicorn hair, 11 inches long and supple.” He handed me the stick of wood. “Give it a swish and see what happens.” 

I mimicked the swish-and-flick movement I’d seen Puns and Mom do a thousand times. I flinched backwards as the glass jar of quills on the counter exploded. 

“I’m so sorry!” I exclaimed immediately. 

“No no dear, I can clean it up. Worse has happened to wizards who tried to wrong wand, trust me.” He took the wand from me and vanished among the shelves again. 

He came back with a slightly different box, opening it to reveal a wand that was basically the same colour as my red-brown hair. “Cherry wood. Phoenix feather core, the rarest of the three. 13 inches long and rigid” He recited, giving me the wand. “Give it a wand!” 

I repeated the swish and flick technique. Instead of anything exploding, a strange yellow glow engulfed me and the wand. I stood in shock until the glow subsided. 

“Aha! We’ve found the wand for you my girl!” Olivander quickly took the wand and boxed it back up. He carried it behind the till. “That’ll be 6 galleons!” 

I took out the coin pouch and counted out six of the gold coins. I slid them across the counter and Olivander gave me the box. 

“Have a good day my dear!” 

“Thank you sir!” I called over my shoulder as I left. 

Mom and Puns were waiting for me. “Let’s see that wand kiddo!” Mom said eagerly. 

I smirked as I opened the box. “Cherry wood. Phoenix feather. 13 inches” I recited. 

Puns whistled. “That’s a dangerous combo right there. I hope you’re careful with that thing” 

“I’ll be careful Puns. Where’s the last stop?” 

“Well, are you thinking you want a pet? We’ve got Chasity but do you want your own owl? Or maybe a cat?” 

My eyes lit up. “Cat!” 

Mom chuckled. “Alright. Cat shelter it is”. 

The three of us pushed the trolley down to the loudest shop on the street. It buzzed with cats, toads, and all sorts of reptiles. In the window I spotted a group of kitten playing. Except for one. 

It was all black except for a white patch over its eye and one white foot. It’s green eyes bore into me. I knelt in front of the window. I then noticed the tear on its ear. 

“That one” I said confidently. 

Puns chuckled. “Of course you would like the one sitting by itself. Alright. Let’s get you that cat”. 

We entered the shop and I quickly found the cat I had been looking at while Mom and Puns went off to find an associate. 

“Hi little one” I whispered to the cat. It inched it’s way forward and sniffed my hand. “You’re very small and adventurous” Animals didn’t mind when your English was weird. 

My family came back over with an employee, who looked unsure. “I don’t think you want that one miss. She just came in two days ago. Feral little thing. Always fighting. We don’t know how she got that rip in her ear and we’re afraid to find out.” 

“I want her” I said confidently. 

“Kiddo, it sounds like she’s a little wild-“ 

“I want her” I repeated, cutting mom off. 

I heard a sigh. “We’ll take that one sir” Mom said. 

Ten minutes later we were headed back to the house with a trolley full of school supplies and a kitten cradled in my arms. 

“What are you gonna name the cat Chara?” Puns asked my head. 

I smirked. I’d been waiting for this. “Chausette” 

Puns blinked. “Well that’s French”

Mom nodded. “What’s it mean? Night? Shadow?” 

I shook my head, my smirk widening. “Sock”.


	3. Insecurity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara experiences the Hogwarts Express

It was a week before term started. I sat on my window seat with a mug of tea in my hand. The moon was glowing outside my window. I stared at it fondly as I had spent the last year doing. 

"Hello" I whispered quietly into the night air. It was warm outside. And very inviting. 

Our large manor was set on the outskirts of London. From the front windows I could see the lights of the city and the bustling cars gliding down the street. But from the back I could see the quiet countryside and peaceful gardens in our backyard. And the moon. Always the moon. 

I found the soft glow comforting. My first few months here had been riddled with sleepless nights. Still too scared to get up and get help, I had to find other ways to calm myself down and try and get to sleep. I would find the moon and stare at it. It became an old friend in the sky each night, reminding me there were still beautiful things in this world. 

When I grew more comfortable in this house I would get up and make myself a cup of tea or cider or hot chocolate to sip while I watched the stars overhead. London got cold at night and when it did I enjoyed my warm drink and pajamas. Pajamas were something I hadn't gotten to appreciate before. 

A knock on my door frame behind me scared me out of my thoughts. I flinched and turned my head slightly. Mom stood in my doorway. 

"It's late, kiddo. You need to be sleeping at night up at school." 

"I know". I murmured. "Rough night I guess". 

"Do you wanna talk about it?" He asked me, joining me on my window-seat. 

If he had asked me that question a year ago I would shut down and refuse to explain myself. I was a quiet kid for the most part. I didn't like people around me and I had boundaries that I got snappish if they were crossed. I didn't relate well to most kids. Trauma ages you. 

But things were different now. My birth parents were dead and gone. I had a family that loved me. 

"I'm getting nervous about school" I admitted. 

Mom nodded. "Can't day I wasn't expecting this. What's got you down? Worried about classes? Making friends?" 

I shook my head. "Classes are fine. I don't care about making friends." 

"Kiddo you really need to work on your social skills." 

I shrugged. "I'm fine on my own". 

Mom sighed and gave me a look that told me that this conversation wasn't over. "Alright. What's got you worried?" 

I sighed. English was hard and I had to plan my words carefully. "Mom. You and Puns are both House Heads. Right?" Mom nodded slowly. "But there's four houses. So there's only half the chance I'll be in one of yours". 

Moms eyes softened. He extended an arm and caught my eye, waiting for my permission. I nodded and he wrapped his arm over my shoulder and pulled me closer to him. 

"Kiddo. It doesn't matter if you're in one of our houses or not" 

"Not a bit, Moonchild" Puns's voice came from the doorway. I turned to face him as he crossed the room to join us. 

"It doesn't matter if I end up in Hufflepuff or Gryfindor?" I asked. 

"Moonchild it don't matter to us at all what house you're in. What matters is that you're doin your best"

"Exactly." Mom continued. "We just want you to be the best witch you can possibly be. And I have full faith that you can do it." 

I allowed a small smile to grace my face. "Okay. I trust you". 

"I know you do."

**************************

“This platform system doesn’t make any sense”. I huffed. Finally, FINALLY, it was the start of term. I was standing behind my trolley, Chausette tucked into one of those gimmicky cat backpacks until we got on the train. 

“I know it doesn’t but trust me.” Puns said. I raised an eyebrow at the grin on his face. “You run straight at the wall between the platforms. You’ll get through. Trust me”. 

I was still apprehensive but we were running out of time. I took a firm hold on my trolley handle and sprinted. 

To my surprise the wall disappeared and I found myself in a completely new station. It bustled with students wearing the same robes as me. Many of them had their iconic house patches already but I saw many first years like me who had no houses yet. 

And in the center, gleaming brightly, was the train. I didn’t need to be able to read to know that it was the Hogwarts Express. 

A man in a black uniform unloaded my trolley into one of the cars. He let me keep my cat backpack with Chausette and Mom and Puns led me to one of the passenger cars. 

“Now remember we’ll see you up at school. We use the Floo network to get there. Whatever house you get, remember we’re proud of you.” Puns rambled. 

“You should have money for anything you want off the sweets trolley” Mom continued. “And Chara? Try and make friends”. I rolled my eyes. 

“Sure thing mom”. 

The train whistle blew its five minute warning and Mom ushered me on. “Love you!” 

“Love you too!” I called over my shoulder. 

I ducked into an empty compartment and closed the door firmly, hoping no one would sit with me. Out of the window I saw Mom and Puns talking. I jumped up and pulled down the window, waving to them as the train lurched forward. 

I sat down as the train pulled away. I freed Chausette from her bag and settled her on my lap, mentally preparing myself for the greatest day of my life.


	4. Pressure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara experiences peer pressure and the sorting ceremony for the first time

The train rumbled gently towards its destination. I was amusing myself by struggling to read the trading cards on the chocolate frogs I had bought off the trolley. Chausette, ever the adventurer, was using my leg as a step-stool to stare out the window. 

I blinked as a red liquid dripped from my eye. But I didn't panic. I knew it wasn't blood. 

We didn't entirely know what it was. It had happened to me since I was little. I was born with blood red eyes and they occasionally leaked a matching red fluid. Often when I was excited or angry. It's why my guardians thought I was a muggleborn. 

And why my birth parents hated me. 

I could manipulate the fluid if I was careful. I could make my eyes flash red and drip on command. But I had to focus hard for that. 

I shook the thoughts from my head and wiped away the stray streak. It was then I realized I was no longer alone. 

A girl with blonde hair and no house patch on her robe was standing on the other side of my glass compartment door. Her hand was outstretched towards the handle. I stayed quiet and didn't look at her. I wanted to see how far I could take this. 

The door slid open. "Hi... Sorry to bother you but everywhere else is full. Can I sit?" 

I didn't answer, pretending to be too engrossed in reading my chocolate frog card. To be fair with how hard reading English is for me, it wasn't far from the truth. 

The girl didn't take my silence as a no. She stepped in and sat down across from me without closing the door. 

"I'm Rosie Atkins. What's your name?" She asked. Her tone was far too chipper. I didn't dare acknowledge her existence with eye contact but I just knew if I looked into her eyes they'd be full of innocence. Innocence that I couldn't relate to. This girl was the type to doodle hearts of her and her crush's initials and obsess over stickers. Not someone I was willing to be friends with. 

"Cute cat. What's its name?" 

At this point I looked up, having had enough of her cheery disposition. I focused the mysterious red fluid into my eyes and let it drip down my face and make my eyes glow brightly. I paired this with what Puns and Mom had dubbed my cat hiss. Admittedly it wasn't much on its own but I knew that when paired with my eye tricks it could be terrifying. 

The girl's face paled. She scrambled for the sliding door and ran down the aisle as fast as her scrawny legs could carry her. I got up and closed the door tightly before returning to my seat and cleaning my face. Chausette was purring softly at this point, having gotten bored of staring out the window and opting to sleep on the seat next to me. 

I gently picked her up and set her on my lap as I took my turn staring out the window. The lush, British countryside flew past the window as we rattled on towards Scotland. Not exactly where I grew up. But strange that it was so close. 

I let my thoughts sweep me away as I watched the country go by. Mom and Puns were already at school by now, having either apparated or used the Floo Network to get there. Right now the house elves were probably making beds and sweeping rooms, and preparing food for the enormous feast. I thought about what I'd been told about the castle. I'd been told it was huge and full of secrets that hadn't been discovered in thousands of years. My brain was buzzing for the moment I'd see it in person.

I yawned as I leaned against my head against the window. 

******************************

A loud train whistle woke me from my short nap. I jolted in my seat and looked out the glass door to see students filing off the train. I quickly stood up and helped my cat back into her bag. I opened the door and filed in where I could. 

We got off and the first years were called to the boats. I shoved into the boat and payed no attention to the kids around me. I had no intention of making friends with them. 

In another boat my eyes locked with another girl’s, if only for a second. She was also quiet and her eyes were also a strange colour. A dusty pink. 

I focused on the castle looming in the distance. It quite literally dwarfed us. It was huge and dark but the windows made it seem to glow. 

The boat ride was shorter than I anticipated. We were soon stepping out and being lead into a large hallway with a goat woman waiting in a dark red cloak. She smiled warmly. 

“Welcome, young ones. I am Professor Dreemurr. I will be your transfiguration teacher. Through these doors are the Great Hall. Now, in a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you can take your seats you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Now, while you are here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you house points. Any rule breaking, and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup” 

I blinked. It was all information I knew. But to hear it in person took me by surprise. 

Professor Dreemurr quietly went through the doors. I heard a burst of loud chattering before they shut behind her. 

Around me the other first years began chattering excitedly. I stayed quiet and kept my eyes locked on the doors. My heart pounded at the thought of what was behind them. 

The huge wooden doors opened and Dreemurr reappeared. “We’re ready for you now. Please follow me.” 

The doors gave way to the Great Hall. A room I’d heard about and seen pictures of. But the pictures did not compare. 

Four long tables covered most of the room. Above each one was a row of banners marking which house it was. The table directly to my left had blue banners. The Ravenclaws. On the other side was the table with green. Slytherin. On the other side, directly to my right was Gryffindor, with red banners. And against the far right wall was the table with yellow banners. Hufflepuff. All the tables were buzzing with chatter from the kids sitting at them. 

At the front of the room was the teachers table. I found my guardians on the left side, somewhat in front of their respective house tables. Mom caught my eye and gave me a subtle smile and a short nod. Puns noticed, spotted me in the crowd, and winked. 

Energy feeling renewed, I pressed on with the group. Dreemurr stopped us in front of a stool with a hat on it. 

“When I call your name you will come forth. I will place the sorting hat on your head. And you will be sorted into your houses” she recited. She reached into her robes and pulled out a scroll, which she unfurled. “Atkins, Rosie” 

The blonde girl from the train stepped forward and sat on the stool. Dreemurr placed the hat on her head and to my minor shock it sprouted a face. 

“Hmmm. Interesting. Very interesting. I believe that for you it shall be... Gryffindor!” 

The Gryffindor table burst into cheers as Rosie climbed down from the stool and walked to their table. 

The sorting ceremony continued like this for a couple more minutes. My heart jumped into my throat when I realized they were calling us alphabetically. My last name is Comic. 

“Comic, Chariana!” 

I pushed forward, trying to block out the buzzing whispers around the hall. The two professors who are brothers vanish for a year and come back with a human child who has the same last name? I can only imagine how that looked. 

I sat on the stool and saw the brim of the hat being lowered over my eyes. The hat’s voice was low and rumbly from where I sat. 

“Hmm. An odd girl with a bad past I see. But there’s talent. And a determined spirit. You’re driven. You’re a leader. You’re....” 

I closed my eyes, anxiety overtaking my body at the thought of what it was about to say. 

“SLYTHERIN!”


	5. Pride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara experiences her first spells and a rivalry of roommates.

My body moved on autopilot as I walked to the Slytherin table, which had exploded into cheers. As I got closer I could hear a boy's voice calling "Move out of the way, make room for the first years". I looked up and found that the voice belonged to another goat. This one obviously much younger than Professor Dreemurr. An older boy begrudgingly moved out of the way and the goat boy motioned to the seat. I sat down quickly, just wanting the eyes off of me. 

I found the two skeletons at the teacher's table again. Puns was grinning like a madman. Mom held up his hand in the 'I love you' sign. I quickly returned the gesture before staring at the table. 

The sorting ceremony continued. I briefly saw the pink-eyed girl from the boats walk to the Hufflepuff table as fast as she could, seemingly also wanting the attention off her. I also heard that her last name was Ellis. 

I looked back up at the goat boy as I tried to drown out the rest of the hall noise. He looked almost exactly like Professor Dreemurr, except for the smaller horns and the Slytherin patch on his robes. Below that patch however, was a badge. It was still green and silver, the house colours. But there were letters written across it. I squinted as I tried to read. It wasn't a work I recognized. 

The boy caught me staring and held up his finger. I took that as an "I'll explain later" and nodded. 

The sorting ceremony finished with a boy named Isiah White going to the Ravenclaw table. A hush fell over the hall as the tall man in the center of the teachers table stood up. I hadn't seen his face before now. I was shocked to see that, like my guardians, he was a skeleton. But he was much taller and had two long cracks in his face. 

"Welcome. To another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am your Headmaster, you may call me Professor Gaster. I trust that you are all eager to get to your studies and continue where you left off last year. For our first years I trust that you are eager to begin your journeys as a new generation of witches and wizards. Now before we proceed with the feast, you may have noticed that our two teachers who were absent last year have returned. My sons have returned to this school with a little surprise up their sleeves, but I'll let my younger son discuss that". The tall skeleton gestured down the table to my guardians, who stood up. 

It finally caught up with me what he said. The headmaster of the school was my grandfather? 

Mom cleared his not-throat. "Well, you all saw the reason for our disappearance during the sorting ceremony actually. Last summer I came into contact with a young girl. She was illiterate and barely spoke English, and had a very rough history behind her. I adopted her. Because she was only ten, and there was no proof that she had any magical abilities, she couldn't come to school with us. So my brother and I took the year off. We raised her and helped her get over her past and we helped her to learn English. Today she's 11, very close to 12, and does indeed have magical abilities. She sits in this school at the Slytherin table. My daughter, my pride and joy, Chara Comic." He caught my eye and I smiled softly. "We're beyond proud of you kiddo. I love you." 

"Welcome to Slytherin, Moonchild." Puns added. 

The great hall burst into applause as my guardians sat down. 

"Yes yes well done, my sons. I look forward to meeting my new granddaughter formally" Gaster continued, catching my eye. My eyes widened and I quickly looked away. "But now, we can begin the festivities!" He raised his hands and to my pure enjoyment, the empty plated on our tables filled themselves.

I didn't eat much. I never did. My relationship with food was a rocky one, and I didn't eat meat or most dairy products. I had some potatoes and green beans, because I knew Mom would be watching to make sure I ate. He always says I eat like a bird. I guess it's true. 

The goat leaned into me. "Your Comic's daughter?" I nodded. "I'm Dreemurr's son. The name's Asriel. And you're Chariana?" 

"Chara" I corrected. "No one calls me Chariana". 

"Chara it is then. Well, I'm one of your house prefects. Basically I act as an extension of our house head. First years usually come to me when they're scared to go to him. But I guess that's not a problem for you since you're his niece." I smirked. "But you can still come to me for anything you need." He assured. 

When the feast finished Gaster stood up again. "Prefects, please take your first years to their dorms." 

The goat boy stood up and raised his hand high in the air. "First year Slytherins come with me please!" I squinted at the letters on his badge again. P-R-E-F-E-C-T. I stood up and moved to follow him. 

"Nnnope!" A voice from behind me said as a pair of long skeletal arms wrapped around my shoulders. I giggled and looked up to see my mom's grinning face for the thousandth time that night. 

"Evening Professor Comic" Asriel greeted. "And Professor Comic" he repeated with a slight smirk, looking to Puns. Puns placed his hand on my shoulder. 

"Evening Asriel. You've met my daughter I see." Mom looked down at me. "Chara, Asriel is one of your prefects. He's a seventh year. You can go to him for anything you need. Then again you can also go to Puns." 

"I don't know, I might bite" My uncle teased. 

"Asriel we gotta take the kiddo up to talk to Gaster" Mom explained. "Got some spells she's gonna need" 

"I'll walk her to the Slytherin dorms myself when we're done" Puns chimed in. "Password should still be Rottweiler"

"I understand. Take your time. Rest of em will be in good hands" 

"C'mon kiddo." Mom said. He kept his hand on my shoulder, guiding me in the opposite direction of where everyone was going and to a set of swirling stairs guarded by a pair of gargoyles. 

"Sagittarius" He recited. He quickly jumped up on the stairs, and I followed suit. I heard a thump as Puns jumped up behind us. The staircase tumbled and began to rise and spin. I shut my eyes and clung to Mom's hand, not knowing what was happening. 

"It's alright Moonchild" Puns said in a soothing voice. "This is how we go up to see our father. Your grandfather." He explained. I still kept my eyes closed tight. 

We stepped off the stair side and passed through a large set of wooden doors, where the tall skeleton sat at a desk, enjoying a cup of tea. 

"Hey Dad" Mom said, as Puns nodded and leaned against the wall. 

Professor Gaster stood up and walked around his desk. "Well hey Chara. Your idiotic mother never brought you up to see me" he teased, nudging Mom. "I'm your grandfather. Call me whatever the hell you want." 

I blinked rapidly, my brain fighting to process. "Hello sir" 

Puns snickered. "No need to pull the good kid act around him" he said. "Dad don't care" 

"I understand you're here because you're still not too good with English" Gaster said. "I've been working with my sons to prepare a set of spells you can use. I've been told you know some Latin?" I nodded for the millionth time. "Perfect". He set two papers on the desk in front of me. "Got your wand?" I pulled it out of my robe. "Excellent."

Gaster pulled the first paper toward me. Scanning it, I could tell it was English. But at a glance I couldn't read it. "The first spell is 'Transferendum'. You know what that means?" 

I squinted at the ground in thought. "It means translate doesn't it?" 

"Yep! All you gotta do is tap the page with your wand and say transferendum and it'll translate the page into a language you can read. Try it out" 

I stepped up to the paper and switched my wand into my right hand. "Transferendum!" I repeated, tapping the paper with my wand. 

I watched in awe as the words transformed before my eyes. One by one they rearranged themselves into French. My eyes widened. 

"Now you just gotta know the reverse spell. To translate your papers back into English. You know what 'Lingua inversa' means?" 

This one took a little bit of effort. "Reverse...language?" 

"Kids a natural" Gaster praised. "Good job kid. Same thing. Tap the page and say the spell." Gaster instructed, pulling the other page towards me. "Go ahead" 

I tapped the page. "Lingua inversa" I repeated. The page, which was written in Irish, transformed and shifted until it was English. 

"Amazing" I whispered. 

"Man. If you're fascinated by that wait til you see what else magic can do" Gaster said, nodding approvingly. "You're gonna do amazing at this school, kiddo. You'll love it here" 

"Ready to go to bed, kiddo?" Mom asked. 

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep" I muttered. 

"Well good because we've got a little bit more to show you" Puns said. He finally stood up off the wall. "Let's roll" 

The three of us went back down the terrifying spiral staircase and walked through some corridors. Mom lead the way into the dungeon, and from there into his office. 

Moms office was off the side of the potions classroom. On the other side of his office was a wide apartment-like space. It had beds for both my guardians as well as the couch that they had assured me I could sleep on if I needed to. There was a door that lead to some stairs that went to Puns's office. And he told that in his office were stairs up to the astronomy tower. I let my mouth fall open as I took it all in. It all still amazed me. I didn't think I'd ever get used to it. 

We exited through the potion door and Puns took the lead as we walked down the corridor to a large green panel in the wall with a silver snake painted on it. 

To my shock the snake reared it's head at us. "Password?" It hissed. 

"Rottweiler" Puns said. In front of my eyes, the wall wavered and vanished. It gave way to a wide room with a roaring fireplace, a huge dark window, and a number of couches and tables. 

"This is your common room, Moonchild. We're underneath the Great Lake, as you can see" he said, motioning to the window. I gasped as a giant fish swam by. "Up those stairs to the right should be your bedroom if I remember correctly. But for now you can just enjoy it" 

Asriel approached us from the couch closest to the door. "Evening once again, Comics. Chara, welcome to the Slytherin common room. Your stuff is in the first year girl's bedroom upstairs. I'd get up there and see what bed is left if I were you" he chuckled. 

I shook my head and went towards the window. I watched in pure bliss as all sorts of sea creatures swam in the murky water. Behind me I faintly heard mom apologizing to Asriel, explaining that I love nature and animals. 

A hand on my shoulder made me turn and I came face to face with my mother. 

"Be good, alright? And come get us if you need us" He encouraged. I nodded. I pulled away from the window to give him a hug. "I love you kiddo" 

"I love you too" I whispered. 

Neither one of us said it, but we knew why the other one was nervous. It was my first night having to sleep alone since I had been adopted. I always had the choice of going to his room before but now there were other kids and teachers who could find me babyish for not wanting sleep alone. 

I swallowed my fear and let my stubborn pride take hold. Mom broke the hug. Puns wasn't much of a hugger but he nodded his support. I returned the nod and my guardians left the common room. 

I climbed the right staircase and found a door with a silver 1 on it. I pushed it open and flinched at the sight. 

3 other girls were in the room, sitting on the four-postered, white beds. All the beds were made with rich green duvets and pillows. I drank in the sight before even looking at anyone else. 

Every bed had a dresser, a small desk, and a bookshelf next to it. A small white door was off to the side. It probably lead to the lavatory. The windows were wide and looked out into the inky darkness of the lake. Each window was bordered by green curtains. 

I looked around at the girls in the room. They were staring at me. I didn't say anything as I moved to the only empty bed in the room, where a Chausette was asleep. I picked her up and quickly began petting her, wanting the softness of her fur to ease my anxiety. 

"You're Chara aren't you?" A girl with chocolate brown hair asked me. I nodded and kept looking at my cat. "Your eyes are weird" 

"Oh be quiet, Dana." A girl was honey-blonde hair said. "Don't mind her, she's a waste of oxygen. I'm Evelyn." 

"Hey wait, you're the Comic daughter. Chariana!" Dana chimed in again. 

"Don't call me that. No one. Calls me that. My name is Chara" I mumbled. 

"Touchy aren't we?" Dana said with a smug grin. 

"Cross me and I will knock your teeth in so fast you'll shit them out in two hours" I snapped. 

"That's enough. We can all be civil, can't we?" Said the last girl. Her hair was short and mousy brown. "Dana, stop teasing. Call her Chara like she says. Chara, I'd suggest you stop threatening people" 

"I don't know who you are but I don't take orders from anyone." I retorted, snapping my head to look at her. As I spoke I felt the red liquid drip down from my eye. I let it happen. "If we're gonna be roommates for the next seven years or whatever then you three had better learn not to try and control me." 

"Audrey, leave the girl alone" Evelyn said, rolling her eyes. "Dana was aggravating her". 

I stayed quiet. I tried not to think how disappointed mom would be if he knew I was getting into fights with my roommates on the first night. He wanted me to make friends." 

As Dana and Audrey moved to put away their belongings, Evelyn moved closer to me. "Cute cat. What's it's name?" 

"Her name is Chausette" I said quietly. "It's French for sock". 

"Cute" 

I took a deep breath. "I don't mean to be rude but I'm not one for small talk." 

Evelyn blinked. "Oh. Okay. I get that." She turned away and knelt by her trunk. I set Chausette down and unpacked my own.

******************************

Later that night I cursed my brain for not letting me sleep. I was up and sitting on the windowseat, watching the merpeople swim past the window and waving to them as they passed. 

I didn’t know how I was going to survive in this place. I held in the urge to cry as I stared at the open water. 

I thought Hogwarts was going to be amazing. And in most aspects it was. But these girls were insufferable. 

I had no idea how to be friends with anyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in 24 hours who the fuck am I


	6. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara experiences potions and gay

I knocked on Mom's office door after my first morning of classes. He let me in and I promptly groaned and leaned over with my face in the chair. He chuckled. 

"Tired?" 

"Barely slept" I admitted. 

Mom frowned. "That's not good. Should've come and gotten a potion" 

"I didn't know that was still an option". 

"Of course it is. In fact it's even more of an option now that I've got my entire supply store here"

I shrugged. "I'll keep that in mind next time" 

Mom nodded, seemingly accepting that answer. "Ready for your first potion class?" He asked me. 

"I think so" I said. "I've helped you with enough potions that I know what to expect. And it's not like you would give us something volatile our first class"

Mom chuckled again. "Yeah you're right about that. A Cure For Boils Potion is hardly volatile, but still gets complicated if you're not paying attention. And this is where a lot of rivalries reveal themselves. Because this potion is so hard to mess up, kids who do mess up are the ones I keep an eye on all year. So a lot of kids try and sabotage each other so I'll have to keep an eye on their enemies." 

I frowned. "That better not happen to me" 

"I'm sure it won't kiddo. I'm going to be very surprised if anything goes wrong with your potion. But I better not hear of you trying to sabotage anyone else either." 

I nodded. "I would never." 

The bell in the clock tower struck one, and Mom waved me out into the classroom attached to the office, where the other first year Slytherins had largely crowded to the right side. The first year Hufflepuffs were on the left. I was waved over by Evelyn, who I begrudgingly sat with. Anything to not sit with Dana.

Mom was leaning against his desk at the front of the room, his eyes scanning the room and looking at each of us in turn. 

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to your first ever potions class. To those of you that forgot, my name is Professor Comic. Not be confused with my brother, who you call Professor C. He is the Astronomy teacher, who I believe the Hufflepuffs have had already?" There was a murmur of agreement among the Hufflepuffs. I noticed the pink-eyed girl from the boats was looking around wide-eyed, not seeming to pay attention. 

"Unlike your other classes there won't be much wand waving here. Many potions will require a wand movement over the cauldron, but the majority of this class consists of weighing and measuring ingredients, cutting or crushing them, and learning to stir cauldrons. There is an art to stirring cauldrons, I can assure you that. Now if you would please set up your cauldrons." 

I reached into my bag and pulled out the potions set I was given. Mom insisted that I have the best set of basics I could possibly get. I had silver scales, where everyone else had brass, and my phials were in excellent condition. My cauldron was collapsible, and also silver, and I felt several pairs of eyes burn into me as I set up my supplies. 

Mom caught my eye with a smile. "As usual my daughter is one step ahead of me. If you all would look at Miss Comic's setup you'll see exactly how you need to have things set up. Cauldron in front of you, ladle and knife to the side of your dominant hand, parchment and quill close by," he caught my eye again when he said that, and I quickly dug out my parchment and a quill and ink pot. "and your scales and phials at the far edge of your workable. You should have plenty of room for all of this at your tables. You most likely will not need your textbook but keep in nearby for reference purposes." Mom flicked his wand and we watched as a piece of chalk floated up and wrote out a set of instructions on the board. 

"Please follow these instructions to the best of your ability. If you need help please call me over" 

Panic overloaded my brain for a solid minute. I couldn't read the instructions. And I couldn't translate the board because then no one else would be able to! I tried desperately to catch Mom's eye. 

He grabbed a paper off his desk and handed it to me. "I wrote out the instructions for you separately so you can translate" he whispered. 

"Thank you" I whispered. As he walked away I made quick work of the translation spell, noticing Dana glaring at me. 

Her hand shot up. "Professor Comic!" 

Mom whirled around and started walking towards her. "Yes Miss Remirez?"

"You shouldn't be giving Chara special treatment. She should have to read the instructions off the board like everyone else" 

"Miss Remirez my daughter has been given special permission by the Headmaster to translate texts into a language she can read easily until she is more confident in English" 

Dana quickly shrunk back.

I followed the instructions as closely as I could, occasionally having to call Mom over when something just didn't translate correctly. He patiently explained what it meant and I was fine. 

By the time I finished the potion my potion was emitting pink smoke. I stared wide-eyed as Mom hurried to my table. I looked up at him to find he was grinning. 

"Ladies and gentlemen if you would look this way, if you've done everything correctly your cauldron should be smoking pink just like this"   
Dana glared at me again behind his back. He turned back to me. "Good job kiddo. Put it in a phial, label it with your name and put it on my desk". 

I did as he said and then returned to my table to pack up my things. I watched in silence as Mom helped other kids who called for him, and one by one the other kids put their phials on the desk. 

When everyone had turned in their potion Mom stood at his desk tonight. "You all did very good today. I hope we have an excellent year together. Class dismissed. Chara if you would stay behind a minute? You're not in trouble." 

I carried my school bag up to the front of the room and waited at his desk as he saw everyone out. Then he turned to me. "Is there something going on between you and Dana Remirez?" 

I sighed. "We got in an argument last night and she just hates me ever since" 

"An argument?" He asked. "About what?"

I shrugged. "She doesn't like my eyes and she called me a freak" 

He frowned. "We're still going to have to do some testing with those eyes of yours." 

Speaking of my bright red eyes, I rolled them at that statement. "Yeah yeah"

A clatter in the corridor interrupted his inevitable lecture on how I couldn't brush stuff off. "Get off!" I heard a girl's voice squeak. 

I shot mom a look. He returned it. We both ducked into the corridor to observe the scene. 

Dana had pushed the Ellis girl with the pink eyes to the ground, spilling her school-bag in the process. 

Acting on instinct I put myself between Dana and the girl. I quickly drew my wand, aiming it at Dana. "Leave her alone, Remirez!" I snapped. "She didn't do shit to you!" 

Dana blinked, startled by my words. 

"Dana Remirez, detention this afternoon!" Mom barked, causing me to flinch. I had forgotten he was behind me. 

As Dana walked away for fear of further punishment, I held my hand out to the Ellis girl. "Hey are you okay?" 

Startled and most certainly dazed, the girl took my hand, her soft pink eyes meeting mine with a slight gasp. "Y-yeah. I'm alright." I pulled her to her feet and then bent back down to pick up her stuff. "Y-you don't have to-" 

"Don't be silly." I cut her off. "Dana's a bitch. It's the least I could do" I said, putting her books back into her bag. "Here you go." 

She took the bag from me and slung it over her shoulder, still wide-eyed. "Th-thank you." 

I smiled, feeling a little guilty that I had probably startled her. "I'm Chara." I offered. 

"L-Lenore." She stuttered. "Lenore Ellis."

"Lenore? That's beautiful."

Lenore blushed, evidentially not sure what to say. She opened her mouth to respond, but the clock tower struck 2 and she paled and ran off. 

I blinked and turned around to Mom. "What just happened?" 

He was smirking. "What do you mean?" 

I paused. "What do you know that I don't?" 

"Many things, child". He answered, patting my shoulder. "Many things. Come sleep in our quarters tonight”


	7. Rising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara experiences flight and even more gay

I stumbled into my guardian's living quarters, absolutely exhausted from the day. "Why'd you guys want me in here?" I asked. 

Puns was sitting on the couch grinning wildly. "Welcome". 

I squinted at him. "Ominous as fuck greeting"

Mom came out of his bedroom. "Hello kiddo" 

"Why are both of you being ominous?" I asked. 

Puns patted the middle seat of the couch and I sat down. Mom sat down on the other side of me. I hated his position. It always meant that it was serious conversation time and they weren't gonna let me escape. 

"You met Lenore today?" Puns started. 

I shrugged. "Dana was being a bitch. I just helped Lenore up" 

"That don't explain why you were blushing" Mom said. 

"I was not blushing!" I snapped, sounding more defensive than I meant to. "I would never blush at a girl!" 

Puns burst out laughing. "I knew it! You have a crush on her!" 

I felt my face heating up despite my wishes. "I do not!"

Mom chuckled. "Kiddo, I know you. I saw that look in your eye when you two made eye contact. And I saw both of your faces turn about as pink as her eyes" he teased, leaning closer to me" 

I shoved him back. "Oh fuck off, I do not have a crush, I barely know her" 

Puns shrugged. "That doesn't mean you don't find her attractive" 

I sputtered. "But... She just.. I just...!" 

"Don't have an answer do you?" Mom smirked. "Kiddo it's alright" 

"No it's not! She's a girl! I can't have a crush on a girl!" 

"So you DO have a crush!" Puns cheered. 

I grabbed a throw pillow off the couch and screamed into it. My guardians laughed. 

Mom put a hand on my shoulder. "Kiddo. It's alright for a girl to like another girl. There's nothing wrong with it. Please don't think there's something wrong with you". 

I kept my face in the pillow. "What so I even do about it?" I asked the fabric. 

"Well you got two options" Came Puns's voice. "You can shoot your shot or you can suffer in silence." 

"Shoot my shot?" 

"You want to?"

"Maybe? I don't even know what it means" I groaned. 

"Kiddo it just means to tel her you like her" Mom explained. "If she likes you back maybe something will come of if, if not that's okay". 

I looked up at him. "My parents said girls can't like other girls!" 

"Your parents also thought you were the spawn of Satan" Puns said. "And they're dead. We are your family now. It's our opinion that matters". 

I sighed. I didn't have a response anymore. "Why did you want me to sleep in here tonight?" 

Mom shrugged. "Partially to tease you about your crush. Partially to make sure you were alright after your first day of classes". 

I nodded. "I'm fine. Just tired." 

"You've got astronomy with me tomorrow. First thing" 

I grinned. "I'm so fucking excited. You got me a really good telescope" 

"Yeah well. I know how you are about the stars. You've also got flying tomorrow." 

Mom's face fell. "I forgot about that. Promise me you'll be careful?" 

"I promise" I said. 

He sighed in relief. "Alright. Well let's get this couch made up for you. You gotta be up bright and early to climb that astronomy tower." 

**************************

Astronomy class the next morning went painlessly enough, not that I expected it to be difficult. Puns taught us how to set up our telescopes and we had a little contest to see which constellations and planets we could already name. I would've won but a Ravenclaw boy named Quinn O'Connery named one more planet. Not that I cared. It was only 5 points to his house. 

On my way to Flying I ran into Lenore, who was hurrying the same direction I was. An older kid slammed into her and she squeaked. I grabbed her arm to keep her from falling. 

"Woah!" 

"Thanks" she whispered, and I smiled in return. 

"Are you going to flying class?" I asked, falling into step beside her. She gulped and nodded. "What are you afraid of?" 

"Flying. It's dangerous. What if I fall off the broom?" She gasped, her face paling.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "The teacher won't let you fall."

"How do you know?" 

I smiled warmly, hoping it calmed her. "He's my uncle."

We made it to the trining grounds, where my uncle Papyrus was waiting. I had only met him once, and the visit was cut short abruptly by an incident that involved a lot of shouting. Still, he gave me a wave as I walked onto the field with Lenore at my side. 

"Hello first years! I believe I have Slytherins and Hufflepuffs with me today, including my darling niece! Nyeh!" I gave him a small smile. "Now! Let us proceed with today's lesson!" 

**************************

By the end of the flying lesson, Lenore was only slightly less terrified of flying. We hadn't actually been in the air yet, so I could see why the prospect still scared her. 

As I slunk into my mother's chambers that night to make a cup of tea, I finally worked up the nerve. 

"Mother?"

"Hm?" He responded, looking up from his book. "Yeah?"

"What can you tell me about Lenore?" 

Mom smirked and shut his book. "Well. I can tell you she's a muggleborn, and she's very quiet, like you. But while your quiet is derived from lack of interest, hers is because she's afraid She's very skittish, and I fear her home life is not the best. Unfortunately, I have no way to prove it. Why are you asking questions, kiddo?” 

I shrugged, hoping my face wasn’t turning pink. “She just seems so afraid of everything.”

Mom nodded solemnly. “You used to be the same way when we found you on the streets.” He reminded me. 

I blinked slowly, his words echoing over and over in my mind. “Because I was abused- Oh. Oh no. Oh god no.” 

“I know kid. We have no proof that the same thing is happening to her, but we have to take comfort that she’s away from whoever hurt her right now.” 

“Do you think I should talk to her about it?”

Mom shook his head. “Not unless she brings it up first. Chara, what she really needs right now is a friend.” 

I nodded. I had no idea how to be a friend. But I could figure it out. 

**************************

By our potions class the next day, Lenore often looked my way. I did my best to keep my eyes on my cauldron, carefully looking over mom’s shoulder as he helped me translate. 

“Class dismissed!” Mom announced as the clock struck 2. “Enjoy the sunshine today, no enjoy your first weekend.” 

I quickly picked up my things, looking up to mom o see if he wanted to talk. When I got no hint, I took that as a change to catch up with Lenore. 

“Hey Lenore?” She looked at me, her big, pink eyes wide. “I’m gonna go for a walk by the lake. Do you wanna come with?” 

Lenore looked shyly at the ground, then back up at me with a tinge of pink on her face. “Yeah!”


	8. Murky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara experiences her first kiss

Mom hadn't lied. The sun was shining brightly. The Black Lake glittered in the shining light. As many times as I had seen its murky depths in the common room, it was different to see it in the sun. 

"So." I said, trying to strike up a conversation with as little awkward tension as possible. "What's your favourite class so far?"

I slowed my stride slightly so Lenore would have an easier time matching my steps. "Herbology." She said . "Easy to remember plants, and no risk of wrong spells." 

"Are you that worried about messing up the spells?" 

"Of course!" She gasped. "My stepmother says that a wrong spell can kill someone!" 

I blinked, taken by surprise. "Well, I mean, in some cases yes. But we're first years. They aren't gonna teach us anything too volatile." 

"Volatile?" She asked. "What's that mean?" 

I paused, trying to think how to put this into words. I had two speech patterns. Vocabulary of a university student, and vocabulary of a 4 year old child. "Something that's volatile can kill you." I explained simply. Lenore blinked those wide pink eyes at me. 

"So not every spell can kill you?" 

I shook my head. "Of course not. Are you afraid of magic?" Lenore nodded. "But magic is so wonderful!" 

"It is?" 

"It is. Ive watched my mother make potions that cured the flu, that kept bath water hot, and added new flavors to sweets. I've seen Puns use a magic telescope to zoom in so far on the moon that you can see each individual crater."

"Why do you call him mom?" She asked me suddenly. "The potions teacher, I mean. Isn't he dad?"

I shook my head. "No, he's always been mom. I didn't have a great relationship with my birth father. So I didn't want a dad again. I wanted a mom." 

Lenore nodded solemnly, sitting on the grass on the bank of the Black Lake. "I understand. My stepmom nod I don't have a good relationship either." 

I joined her next to the water, feeling the soft blades of grass brush against my legs. "What do you mean?" I prompted. 

The small girl sighed, pulling her knees up to my chest. "She married my dad for his money, and she doesn't care about me or him at all. She wishes I was out of the house so she could have him to herself." 

I shuffled closer to her, trying to be any form of support. "Does she say anything to you?"

"She calls me bad names, says she wishes I wasn't born. When she drinks from the weird brown bottles she hits me sometimes" 

I felt my hands tighten into fists. "You know she shouldn't do that right?" 

Lenore nodded nod went back to staring at the glittering water. It seemed the conversation was over. I had to admit the water looked gorgeous.

I found my thoughts getting the better of me for the millionth time in my life. How bad was this hitting she talked about? Did her stepmother only drink from the 'weird brown bottles' occasionally or was she a drunk? How many years had she been dealing with her? How did she know this woman was a gold digger? 

My thoughts were quickly interrupted by her mumbled voice. "Everything glitters in the sunlight." 

I smiled despite myself. "Yeah. Being in the common room, I've seen the lake a thousand times, but it's so different seeing the surface instead of the depths. But nothing can compare to watching sea creatures float past the giant windows." As I spoke, I felt her eyes bore into me, hung on my every word. "They look like creatures you'd only hear about in pirate stories, but they're real, they're right there on the other side of the glass." 

"My father wants to take me to the ocean" She said, as the sparkle began to die from her eyes. "I don't know if we'll ever get to with stepmother around." 

I looked around, searching for anything to put a smile on her face. I found a small pile of stones and picked one up. I launched it into the water, watching it skip across the surface before sinking down to the bottom. 

"How do you do that?" She asked in awe. I grinned and reached back down to the pile, handing her a smooth flat rock. I put it in her hand and wrapped my hand around hers. 

I directed her, helping her move her hand in the right motion to fling the rock onto the surface. It skipped a few times before sinking to join mine at the bottom. 

We continued for longer than I normally would care to admit, the pile slowly dwindling as we continued to bounce across the surface of the glimmering water. 

Until she got too excited and hit herself in the face with a rock. 

Working quickly I grabbed her hand and pulled her back to where our stuff was. I pulled a handkerchief out of my bed and used it to wipe away the blood before the tears forming in her soft pink eyes could fall. "Are you alright?" I asked softly. 

"Mmhmm. Thanks" She whispered. I used the tiny piece of fabric to wipe the last bit of blood off her lip. 

In the moment I'm not sure what came over me. Her glassy eyes in the mid-day sun, her sleek black hair blowing in the afternoon breeze. My heart was pounding so loud I could hear it in my ears, and all I could look at was the small scab forming on the edge of her lower lip. 

Every part of my mind was screaming. No, what are you doing! She's a girl, this is wrong! But I didn't listen to my panicked thoughts. I leaned forward and plunged my lips into hers. 

I got the faint taste of strawberry lip gloss before I pulled away in a panic. All we could do was stare at each other, neither of us quite sure what just happened. I watched the colour rise to her face, and I knew by the burning sensation that mine was also turning red. 

“I uh. I should p-probably get back to th-the common r-room.” She stammered. 

“R-Right.” I stuttered back, rubbing the back of my neck. “Do you want me to walk you-“

But she was gone, taking off back into the castle as fast as her short legs could carry her. I stood up, brushing the grass off my uniform trousers and gathering up my bag. Although I stayed calm on the outside, my mind was racing. What had I just done? Had I just ruined any chance of getting to know her? God I felt so fucking stupid. 

I slung my bag over my shoulder and turned towards the building, only to find my guardians staring at me. 

“You uh. You wanna talk about that?” Puns asked, crossing his arms. Mom didn’t say anything but he was grinning so wide I thought he was about to burst into a West End musical number. 

I turned on my heel and bolted for it. Nope. Not today emotions. Not today.


End file.
